Apparatus for vibrating hair-springs to time.



No. 766,722. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. G. V. NEAL.

APPARATUS FOR VIBRATING HAIR SPRINGS TO TIME.

APPLIOATION FILED FIB-13.29, 1904.

NO MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATBNTED AUG. 2, 1904 G- V. NEAL.

APPARATUS FOR VIBRATING HAIR SPRINGS TO TIME.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 29, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

K0 MODEL.

null mun No. 766,722. PATENTED we. 2, 1904. G. v. NEAL.

APPARATUS FOR VIBRATING HAIR SPRINGS TO TIME.

APPLICATION FILED r312. 29, 1904.

no norm. a sums-431mm s.

UNITED STATES Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR VIBRATING HAIR-SPRINGS TO TIME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,722, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed February 29, 1904. Serial No. 195,796. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, GEORGE V. NEAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Thomaston, in the county of Litchlield and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Vibrating Hair-Springs to Time, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to horology; and it has for its object to provide a reliable and easily-adjusted apparatus for comparing and regulating watch and clock hair-springs--i. e. vibrating such springs to time.

ith the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the hair-spring comparing and regulating apparatus constituting the preferred embodiment of my invention, the same being shown with a hairspring in proper position to be vibrated. Fig. 2 is a detail section illustrating the staffs hearing the seconds and minute hands and the heartshaped cams comprised in my improvements. 3 is an enlarged plan view of one of the heart-shaped cams and its complementary spring. Fig'. 4: is a similar view of the said spring removed. Fig. 5 18 a vertical section of the cam. Fig. 6 is a detail section illustrative of the staff on which the camis mounted. Fig. T is a front elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view illustrating the heart-shaped cams on the comparing side of the apparatus and the setting-bar complementary to said cams. Fig. 9isatop view of the apparatus with the top plate B and other parts removed and the balance-cock Q in horizontal section. Fig. 10 isa detail view illustrating the means for preventing casual swinging of the potence.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, referring to which A is the base-plate of the apparatus, which may be and preferably is provided with short legs a.

B is the topplate, and C C are ordinary watch or clock trains of gears, arranged side by side and between the two plates A and B, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9.

On the third and fourth pinion-staffs of the train C are loosely-mounted cams D D, provided with minute and seconds hands a 6, respectively, and on the third and fourth pinion-staffs of the train C are similarly-mounted cams E E, provided with minute and seconds hands a (1, respectiyely. The cams are identical in construction, and therefore a detailed description of the one shown in Figs. 3 to 5 will sufiice to impart a definite understanding of all. The said cam comprises a heart-shaped body 6 and a sleeve 0, which rises from the body and is provided in its side with an opening (I. This opening is for the play of a spring a, which is connected to the cam-body and is designed to yieldingly bear against the staff a, Fig. 6, so as to cause the cam to normally turn with the staff. The cams .D and E are preferably arranged, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 8, relative to the cams D E, respectively-that is to say, are disposed in a plane above said cams D Eso as to swing over the same. The seconds-hands 7) d are disposed above dials f, which are preferably graduated to one-fifth seconds, as shown, while the minute-hands a/ c are arranged to swing over minute-dials g, sunk in the dials f.

In addition to the cams D and E the fourth pinion-staffs of the two trains of gears are provided with scape-wheels F G, arranged to actuate pallets H .1, having forks /1. The pallet H, which is on the actual-time side of the apparatus, rests in engagement with a balance made up of a hair-spring J and a rim K, mounted between the top plate A and a balance-cock L, fixed on said plate. The fork of the pallet I on the other or comparativetime side of the apparatus is to receive the roller-jewel L incident to the vibration of the hair-spring M that is to be regulated, which latter spring and its complementary balance-rim N are mounted between a swinging potence P and a gooseneck balance-cock Q, carried thereby. The potence has a depending pivot-stud p journaled in the lower plate A and subject to the pressure of a flat spring (1, which is secured on the stud and bears against the under side of the plate A, and hence it will be seen that while the potence may be conveniently swung to and fro the tendency of the spring (1 to bow prevents casual swinging of the potence. The gooseneck balance-cock carries a spindle a, which is normally held in the position shown by a coiled spring sand is adjustable vertically in the cock to'accommodate balance-staffs of different lengths. Said cock also carries a hairspring nipper, which comprises a verticallymovable plunger 25, normally held in the position shown by a coiled spring at and having a rabbeted lower end a, a lever w, fulcrumed at w on the plunger and having an angular lower end y seated in the rabbet 2: of the plunger, and a spring 2, which operates to normally hold the lever in the position shown relative to the plunger. As-will be readily observed by reference to Fig. 7, the swinging potence and the gooseneck balance-cock serve to adjust the roller-jewel in the fork of the pallet I, for as the hair-spring M is pulled through the nipper to enable the nipper to grasp the spring at a different point and cause the spring to vibrate slower or faster the roller-jewel is disengaged from the fork of the pallet and the movement stops--z'. 6., is out of beat. It will also be observed that when the potence and gooseneck balance-cock are swung in the opposite direction with reference to that in which they were swung to pull the hair-spring through the nipper the roller-jewel will again engage the fork of the pallet I and the movement will be placed in beat.

T T, Fig. 9, are levers fulcrumed between the plates A B and equipped with springs (0 adapted to engage the perimeters of the balance-rims K and N. U is a slide-bar arranged in a guide between the plates A B and having studs 6 disposed in notches c in the levers T, and V is a spring which engages the bar U and serves to return said bar to and-normally hold it in the position shown. WVhen the bar U is pushed inwardly against the action of the spring V, the springs a will obviously be thrown against the perimeters of the balancerims K and N, and the movements of the two trains thereby simultaneously stopped, while when pressure is removed from the said bar U the spring V will operate to return the bar and the levers T to the positions shown, and thereby reestablish the movements of the trains.

WV is a slide-bar mounted in asuitable guide between the plates A B and carrying antifriction-rollers (Z adapted to engage the cams D D. X is a similar slide-bar carrying antifriction-rollers (Z adapted to engage the cams E E, and Y Y are springs for returning said bars WV X to and normally holding the same in the positions shown by full lines in Fig. 1. When the bars Wand Xare pressed inwardly, the antifriction-rollers thereof will obviously engage the heart-shaped cams D D E E and through the medium of said cams quickly move the minute-hands to 8 and the secondshands to 60.

In the practical use of my novel apparatus the hair-spring M to be vibrated is placed as described, and the two trains of gears are started with their minute-hands at 8 and their seconds-h ands at 60.. After the apparatus has been in operation for a sufiicient period the operator presses the'bar Uinwardly with his right thumb-and holds said bar in its inner position, so as to stop and hold the trains of gears against movement. WVith this done the operator compares the time, adjusts the swinging potence and gooseneck balance-cock if it is necessary to either increase or diminish the vibrations of the spring M, presses the bars W and X inwardly with his left forefinger and left thumb, respectively, so as to return the minute-hands to 8 and the seconds-hands to 60, and then removes pressure from the bar U, and thereby sets the trains of gears in motion.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that my novel apparatus is calculated to vibrate watch and clock hair-springs to time, also that in regulating Breguet or overcoiled springs the actual time side may be set to the difference in time the overcoil will make in bendingz'. 6., the hair-spring may be vibrated in the flat or before bending the overcoil, and then the'overcoil may be bent when the hair spring will be on time.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction and relative arrangement of the parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exact understanding of the same. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to such specific construction and relative arrangement of parts, as such changes or modifications may be made in practice as fairly fall within the scope of my invention as claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, a swinging potence, a balancecock carried by the potence, and a hair-spring nipper carried by the balance-cock and comprising a plunger, a spring supporting the plunger, and a spring-pressed lever fulcrumed on the plunger.

2. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, two trains of watch or clock gears, a balance connected with one train of gears and comprising a hair-spring, means for varying the vibrations of the hair-spring of the balance, a balance connected with the other train of gears, hands connected with said trains of gears, and a stopping means common to the two trains of gears whereby the same may be simultaneously stopped.

3. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, a swinging potence, a gooseneck balance-cock carried by the potence, a vertically-adjustable, spring-pressed spindle carried by the balance-cock, and a hair-spring nipper also carried by the cock and comprising a plunger, a spring supporting the plunger, and a spring-pressed lever fulcrumed on the plunger.

4. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, the combination of a plate, a swinging potence arranged on the plate and having a depending pivot-stud disposed in the plate, a spring carried by and exerting pressure against the stud so as to hold the potence against casual movement, a balance-cock carried by the potence, and means on the cock for taking hold of a hair-spring.

5. In an apparatus for vibrating hairspriugs to time, two trains of connected watch or clock gears, a balance connected with one train of gears and comprising a hair-spring, means for varying the vibrations of the hairspring of the balance, a balance connected with the other train of gears, hands connected with said trains of gears, and means whereby the hands may be simultaneously returned to the starting-point.

6. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, two trains of watch or clock gears, a swinging potence, a balance-cock, a balance mounted between the potence and the cock and connected with one train of gears, means on the cock for connecting the hairspring of the balance to said cook, a balance connected with the other train of gears, means for simultaneously stopping the two trains of gears, a pair of heart-shaped cams arranged in each of the trains of gears and provided with hands, and means for simultaneously acting against the heart-shaped cams and returning the hands thereon to the starting-point.

7. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, two trains of watch or clock gears, balances connected with said trains, means for adjusting the hair-spring of one balance, stafi's comprised in the trains of gears, heart-shaped cams yieldingly held on said stafi's and carrying hands, means for simultaneously stopping the trains of gears, and rectilinearly-movable bars having antifriction-rollers arranged to engagethe heartshaped cams when the bars are pressed inwardly, and thereby return the hands to the starting-point.

8. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, two trains of watch or clock gears comprising stafl's, balances connected with said trains, means for adjusting the hairspring of one balance, levers provided with means for engaging the rims of the balances, a slide-bar connected with and arranged when moved to throw the levers and thereby stop the rims, heart-shaped cams yieldingly held on the said staffs of the trains of gears and carrying hands, and rectilinearly movable bars having antifriction-rollers arranged to engage the heart-shaped cams when the bars are pressed inwardly, and through the medium of the said cams return the hands to the starting-point.

9. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, two trains of watch or clock gears, a balance connected with one train of gears and comprising a hair-spring, means for varying the vibrations of the hair-spring of the balance, a balance connected with the other train of gears, hands connected with said trains of gears, a stopping means common to the two trains of gears whereby the same may be simultaneously stopped, and means for simultaneously returning the hands to the starting-point.

10. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, two trains of watch or clock gears comprising staffs, a balance connected with one of said trains, a swinging potence, a balance-cock carried by said potence, a balance mounted between the potence and the cock and connected with the other train of gears, means on the cock for taking hold of the hair-spring of the latter balance, a slidebar, means arranged to be actuated by the slide-bar for stopping the rims of the balances, two heart-shaped cams mounted on and yieldingly held to the two staffs of each train, and setting-bars provided with means for engaging the said cams to return hands thereon to the starting-point.

11. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, two trains of watch or clock gears, a balance connected with one train of gears and comprising a hair-spring, means for varying the vibrations of the hair-spring of the balance, a balance connected with the other train of gears, hands connected with said trains of gears, a movable bar, and means on the bar for simultaneously stopping the two trains of gears when the bar is moved.

12. In an apparatus for vibrating hairsprings to time, two trains of watch or clock gears, a balance connected with one train of gears and comprising a hair-spring, means for varying the vibrations of the hair-spring of the balance, a balance connected with the other train of gears, hands connected with said trains of gears, movable means for simultaneously returning the hands to the starting-point, a movable bar, and means on the bar for simultaneously stopping the two trains of gears when the bar is moved.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses GEORGE V. NEAL.

I/Vitnesses:

HENRY E. STOUGHTON, DANIEL GARNER. 

